Top 50 football law articles you should read this season

With the start of the 2015/16 football season, we thought it would be helpful to put together a list of essential football law articles that focus on key legal issues that national associations, leagues, clubs, agents, and players may need to consider. We also hope these articles will be a resource for anyone involved in football, be it professionally or as a fan, who wants to learn more about the legal, regulatory, and commercial issues in their sport.

Last updated 22 September 2016 to include 30 new articles:

Key resources to better understand the football transfer system

Key resources to better understand transfer costs in football

A review of the updates to FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players

Resolving failed last minute football transfer deals: lessons from the De Gea case

The business of transferring minors in football - can more be done to protect young footballers?

The current legal status of image rights companies in football

How the ban on emergency loans in English football will affect clubs and players

Why Football Federation Australia’s new salary cap proposals may be unlawful

Fiduciary duties, football, and the fundamental importance of the contractual relationship

A guide to fiduciary duties owed by football club directors and remedies for breach of duty

Determining the level of compensation for out of contract football players: The PFCC Danny Ings award

A legal guide to solidarity payments in football under the FIFA Regulations

A guide to training compensation and solidarity payments in football

What has the Marcos Rojo case taught us about third party investment in footballers?

What Ofcom’s settlement with the Premier League means for the sale of UK football broadcasting rights

Why are Premier League clubs attracting savvy global investors?

Find out why the Middle East is of growing importance to the global football market

State aid in European football: A review of the EC’s ruling on Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Valencia CF

A legal analysis of FIFA’s governance reforms: do they meet the standards of best global practice?

A guide to the legal due diligence process when buying a football club

An overview of how the match-day policing works in English football

How homophobic football chants are addressed under the FIFA Disciplinary Code

A review of the updates to FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of PlayersClick here to read article.By Andrew Smith, Barrister, Matrix Chambers

Resolving failed last minute football transfer deals: lessons from the De Gea caseClick here to read articleBy Luca Ferrai, Global Head of Sports, Withers

The business of transferring minors in football - can more be done to protect young footballers?Click here to read articleBy Matt Rogers, Sports Lawyer

What are the key legal issues that lawyers and agents encounter during the transfer window and how are they dealt with?Click here to read article.By Jake Cohen, Consultant, LawInSport

BONUS PAYMENTS: What are the different bonus structures seen in player contracts and what is the future of performance based pay in football?Click here to read article.By Richard Berry, Associate, Lewis Silkin

PRE-CONTRACTS: What are pre-contracts and are they enforceable?Click here to read article. By Matthew Chandler, Solicitor, Mills Reeve

FAILURE TO PAY WAGES: What are the issues and legal remedies involved when clubs fail to pay player wages?Click here to read article. By John Shea, Solicitor, Morgan Blake

WORK PERMITS & PLAYER CONTRACTS: The FA’s new work permit system & proposal for new “home grown” rules. Click here to read article.By Carol Couse, Partner, and Tiran Gunawardena, Solicitor, Mills and Reeve

IMAGE RIGHTS & PLAYER CONTRACTS: How are they are structured, and why they are so important for high-profile footballers?Click here to read article.By Pete Hackleton, Partner, Saffery Champness

RESTRAINT OF TRADE IN PLAYER CONTRACTS: In light of Luis Suarez’s successful CAS appeal, what constitutes a restraint of trade in player and manager contracts?Click here to read article. By John Mehrzad, Head of the Sports Group, Littleton Chambers

EMERGENCY LOANS:How the ban on emergency loans in English football will affect clubs and playersClick here to read article.By John Shea, Associate, Morgan Blake

TERMINATING CONTRACTS WITH “JUST CAUSE”:What has the Adrian Mutu case taught us about new clubs liability for compensation under the FIFA regulations for terminating without just cause?Click here to read article. By John Shea, Associate, Morgan Blake

BUYING PLAYERS FROM ARGENTINA:What are the additional costs and taxes involved in when buying a player from Argentina?Click here to read article.By Ariel Reck, Sports Lawyer

INSURANCE COVER FOR PLAYER PERFORMANCE:How clubs are hedging against the cost of involved in success, such as paying additional bonuses to players and staff?Click here to read article. By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN THE MLS:How was Major League Soccer’s CBA negotiated and what is the impact on salary caps?Click here to read article.By Jake Cohen, Consultant, LawInSport

FOOTBALL FEDERATION AUSTRALIA’S NEW SALARY CAP PROPOSALS:Why Football Federation Australia’s new salary cap proposals may be unlawfulClick here to read article.By Francis Awaritefe, former Socceroo and National Soccer League player

REGULATING AGENTS & THIRD PARTY OWNERSHIP

AGENCY AGREEMENTS:A quick guide to the statutory and common law duties on sports agents.Click here to read article. By Andrew Nixon, Partner, Sheridans

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION INTERMEDIARIES REGULATIONS:What do the new FA Intermediaries Regulations say?Click here to read article.By Daniel Lowen, Partner, Couchmans

THE IMPACT OF NEW INTERMEDIARIES REGULATIONS: Will the new regulations create a “wild west” or usher in a “brave new world”? Click here to read article.By John Mehrzad, Head of Sports Group, and Grahame Anderson, Barrister, Littleton Chambers

A GUIDE TO INTERMEDIARIES REGULATIONS:Top 10 tips to understand the Football Association’s new Intermediary Regulations. Click here to read article. By Daniel Geey, Senior Associate, Fieldfisher and John Mehrzad, Head of Sports Group, Littleton Chambers

DISPUTES ARISING FROM THE FA’S INTERMEDIARIES REGULATIONS: The new FA Intermediaries Regulations & disputes likely to arise Click here to read article. By Nick DeMarco, a barrister at Blackstone Chambers.

EFFECTS OF THIRD-PARTY OWNERSHIP BAN IN BRAZIL: What are the early effects of the TPO ban in Brazil? Click here to read article. By Marian Rosignoli, Partner, S. Santos Rodrigues Lawyers

HOW TO ENCOURAGE DIVERISTY IN FOOTBALL MANAGEMENT:Could the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” be included as part of the managerial hiring process in English football to enhance diversity?Click here to read article. By Elaine Banton, Barrister, 7 Bedford Row

PLAYER WELFARE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

WEALTH MANAGEMENT FOR YOUNG PLAYERS:The financial life cycle of a professional footballer - The early years.Click here to read article. By Sam Sloma, former professional football player and Independent Financial Advisor, First Wealth and Anna Moore and Robin Charrot, Mills and Reeve

WEALTH MANAGEMENT FOR SENIOR PLAYERS:The financial life cycle of a professional footballer - Planning for retirement.Click here to read article.By Sam Sloma, former professional football player and Independent Financial Advisor, First Wealth and Anna Moore and Robin Charrot, Mills and Reeve

FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY (FFP) AND BROADCASTING

PREMIER LEAGUE BROADCASTING & FFP:

What Ofcom’s settlement with the Premier League means for the sale of UK football broadcasting rightsClick here to read article.By Alex Haffner, Senior Associate, Dentons

What is the state of play regarding the Premier League’s broadcasting revenues; and how could increasing revenues could affect clubs’ compliance with Financial Fair Play regulations?Click here to read article.By Paul Shapiro, Associate, and Ben Rees, Associate, Charles Russell

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BROADCASTING:How is the UEFA Champions League money is distributed to clubs?Click here to read article. By Daniel Geey, Senior Associate, Fieldfisher

THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE GLOBAL FOOTBALL MARKET:Find out why the Middle East is of growing importance to the global football marketClick here to read article.By Alex Thorpe, Senior Manager, Sports Business Group, Deloitte

STATE AID IN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL:State aid in European football: A review of the EC’s ruling on Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Valencia CFClick here to read article.By Benoît Keane, ‎Solicitor, Keane Legal

FOOTBALL GOVERNANCE AND OWNERSHIP

GOVERNANCE: How is the Premier League Rulebook drafted? An Interview with Jane Purdon, former Director of Governance of the Premier League. Click here to read article. By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport

A legal analysis of FIFA’s governance reforms: do they meet the standards of best global practice?Click here to read article.By Chris Baird, Associate, Slaughter and May

CLUB OWNERSHIP & GOVERNANCE: Football club ownership in Germany – less romantic than you might think.Click here to read article. By Christian Keidel, Partner, and Alexander Engelhard, Associate, Martens Lawyers

A guide to the legal due diligence process when buying a football clubClick here to read article.By Richard Barham, London Corporate practice and Dentons

MATCH-DAY POLICING:An overview of how the match-day policing works in English footballClick here to read article.By Chris Davies, commercial litigator, Burges Salmon

SAFE STANDING FOR FANS:Stand up for seating: why all-seated football stadia should be reconsidered. Click here to read article. By Marcus Keppel-Palmer, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of the West of England

MONITORING INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS:How does FIFA monitor and govern the international transfer of professional players on loan?Click here to read article.By Barry Lysaght, Integrity and Compliance Counsel at FIFA TMS

THE ‘OWNERS AND DIRECTORS TEST’ IN ENGLISH FOOTBALLAn analysis of how English football can reinforce the criteria of who is a “fit and proper person” to run or own a clubClick here to read article.By AnneMaree McDonough, Consultant, Shepherd & Wedderburn

FOOTBALL CLUBS' YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACADEMIESHow to measure the performance of football clubs’ youth development academiesClick here to read article.By Richard Battle, Senior Manager, Sports Business Group, Deloitte

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

KEY FOOTBALL CASES: What are the key cases that we’ve seen from early 2015?Click here to read article. By Nick De Marco, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers

DISPUTE RESOLUTION AT THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS): How is the CAS used to help resolve disputes? An interview with leading football lawyer, Juan de Dios CrespoClick here to read article. By Sean Cottrell, CEO, LawInSport

SANCTIONING PLAYERS: Lessons from Suarez case: is it time for “universality” in football sanctions?Click here to read article.By Kevin Carpenter, Principal, Captivate Legal & Sports Solutions

SECURING FUNDS FROM DEBTS DUE FROM CLUBS:Freezing monies owed from UEFA to secure a debt claim: a case study. Click here to read article. By Roy Levy, attorney-at-law, at Probst Attorneys

FIELD INELIGIBLE PLAYERS:When is there a right to replay a football match? FIFA, UEFA and The FA laws on fielding an ineligible player. Click here to read article. By Grahame Anderson, Littleton Chambers

REGULATING FOOTBALL FANS:Regulating unruly football fans: the state of English law and proposed improvements. Click here to read article. By Grahame Anderson, Lydia Banerjee, both barristers at Littleton Chambers

THE DEFINITION OF AN “OFFICIAL MATCH”:What constitutes an ‘Official Match’ under the FIFA Regulations? The case of Ben Arfa. Click here to read article. By Lloyd Thomas, Associate, Squire Patton Boggs

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Jake is a Consultant Mills & Reeve and an attorney working on both sides of the pond.

He has worked in the sports team at Mills & Reeve, and also writes about legal, economic, and financial issues in European sport for the Wall Street Journal, ESPN, and other publications. He has been cited as an authority by media outlets all over the world.

At one time, he was a serviceable fly-half.

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Chris is the Editor at LawInSport, and takes responsibility for the review of content in conjunction with the Editorial Board. Prior to joining LawInSport, Chris graduated from Nottingham University, and trained and worked as a litigation lawyer at King & Wood & Mallesons SJ Berwin.

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